Pretoria zoo’s black mamba missing

**spiggs** · 19-03-2013, 19:03

and then go on strike

**Messor** · 19-03-2013, 19:39

16 000 People are murdered every year in SA, but when a black mamba escapes it makes news headlines, poor snake, I would also be aggressive against the most destructive species the world has ever known.

**Scuba Steve** · 19-03-2013, 19:41

No thanks, that's all I have to say.

**Springer** · 19-03-2013, 19:43

Originally Posted by Messor

16 000 People are murdered every year in SA, but when a black mamba escapes it makes news headlines, poor snake, I would also be aggressive against the most destructive species the world has ever known.

Messor. It's news dude. Suck it up. Ignore it if you find it uninteresting.

**Hein R** · 19-03-2013, 19:43

Originally Posted by Springer

+1

+tap-tap! No F-that, I'll probarbly empty the whole mag on him and do a mag change aswell-just in case he survived!

**Springer** · 19-03-2013, 19:46

Originally Posted by Hein R

+tap-tap! No F-that, I'll probarbly empty the whole mag on him and do a mag change aswell-just in case he survived!

not sure if I'd hit it with a solid, shottie yip, more than likely a double tap with a shovel. Best thing to attack a snake with is a good sjambok. Slots then quickly.

**Hein R** · 19-03-2013, 19:47

Originally Posted by spiggs

and then go on strike

Was the pun intended? (Strike- hehe...Get it!)

**Messor** · 19-03-2013, 19:56

Originally Posted by Springer

Messor. It's news dude. Suck it up. Ignore it if you find it uninteresting.

Easy to say Springer, I don't worry about news or sensation, I am worrying about people reading the news and killing every single thing that resembles a black mamba.
But, since I cant change that I might as well suck it up.

**Springer** · 19-03-2013, 20:03

Originally Posted by Messor

Easy to say Springer, I don't worry about news or sensation, I am worrying about people reading the news and killing every single thing that resembles a black mamba. But, since I cant change that I might as well suck it up.

Not to worry Messor. Snakes are generally not too happily accepted by the vast majority of the world, no amount of bad press could change the status quo. Besides Mambas are not exactly creatures one gets used to coming across regularly. I think a fair amount of panic can be justified.

**SFourie** · 19-03-2013, 21:01

Originally Posted by Antlion

March 19 2013 at 08:34am
Prof Graham Alexander, a snake expert from Wits, said black mambas were dangerous, although not aggressive.
“If it feels threatened, there's a good chance that it will attack. Their poison is neurotoxic, and a bite can lead to a heart attack within 30 minutes.” - Sapa

Prof. Graham Alexander is the co-author of probably the best reptile guide book in SA. But I do not agree with this statement. A black mamba’s venom is neurotoxic and death results of asphyxiation, not a heart attack. The time in which this happens is also dependant upon many variables. How much venom is injected, body mass of the victim etc. A serious black mamba bite will likely kill on the hour mark. 30 Minutes is not realistic at all. 5 Minutes if you are allergic to venom but that is another discussion.